You may think of stress as a human emotion, when work or school or family pressure are causing you to worry. You may not realize that dogs can suffer from stress, too, but they can. Dogs thrive on routine, and any disruption to that routine can be extremely stressful.
Stress can cause a variety of symptoms in your dog that may mimic, or even lead to, other health or behavioral problems. How do you know what to look for?
Here are 5 signs of stress in dogs.
Diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, or other digestive problems
While these can all be signs of an illness, they can also be signs of stress. If there have been any changes to your family’s life or your dog’s routine, mild digestive upset is not uncommon in sensitive dogs.
When possible, try to make changes in your family’s routine gradually to reduce your dog’s stress. Adding a little bit of canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling) to your dog’s diet can help your dog’s symptoms while he adjusts.
If your dog’s digestive trouble is severe, contains blood, or persists for more than 2 or 3 days, you need to take him to the vet to rule out any serious health problems.
Decreased appetite
Dogs don’t go on diets or cleansing fasts. If your dog isn’t eating as much as usual, something is wrong. If their furry companion recently passed away or their favorite child moved out to go to college, the decreased appetite is likely due to stress.
If you can’t pinpoint any stressful events in your dog’s life, their decreased appetite lasts more than a few days, or your dog is experiencing other symptoms, a trip to the veterinarian is warranted to rule out serious health conditions.
Isolation
Some dogs are naturally more social than others, but it can be a sign that something is wrong when your normally social dog is spending more time than usual alone or hiding. Have you and your spouse been arguing more than usual?
Your dog may be hiding from the noise and the increased stress level.
If you can’t pinpoint any household stress that may cause your dog to want to hide, a trip to the vet will help you rule out a medical problem.
Sleeping more
While some dogs are lazier than others, a dog who is usually active that starts spending more time than usual sleeping may be trying to avoid the stress that’s bothering them. You probably sleep in more often or take more frequent naps when dealing with stress, and your dog is no different.
Dogs that are in pain may also deal with it by sleeping their days away, so it’s important to take any dog with a behavioral change like sleeping more often to a veterinarian to rule out health issues.
Aggression
If your dog is displaying new or worsening aggression, they may be lashing out at dogs or people who are causing them stress. Aggression caused by stress or anxiety will be accompanied by submissive behaviors such as having their tail tucked between their legs, urination or defecation, or having their ears pinned back to their head.
Aggression is usually best handled by a professional dog trainer, but a trip to the vet, especially for an aging dog, can help rule out medical conditions that may be causing your dog to lash out in pain.
No matter the cause of your dog’s stress, a professional dog trainer can help you teach your dog to overcome or manage their stress better so that they can lead a happier life.
